An evaluation of the effect of an educational virtual environment radiotherapy training presentation on anxiety levels of breast cancer patients about to undergo radiotherapy

Abstract

Purpose: Radiotherapy is one of the most common treatment modalities to treat breast cancer. The literature indicates that radiotherapy may provoke anxiety in patients, especially before and during their first radiotherapy session. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of an informative session using the Virtual Environment Radiotherapy Training System (VERT), on patients’ anxiety levels pre-treatment. Objective: Three objectives were formulated. The first objective explored if and how state anxiety levels vary pre- and post-informative intervention using VERT with patients diagnosed with breast cancer. The second objective evaluated how pre-test state and pre-test trait anxiety levels vary between such patients. The third objective assessed the effect of the informative intervention on anxiety levels as compared by age, marital and work status. Methodology: An interventional, prospective research design using a quantitative approach was adopted. A convenience sample of 13 patients referred for radical breast radiotherapy was chosen. The participants were asked to arrive one hour before their first radiotherapy appointment, fill-in the Spielberg et al.’s. (1982) State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), participate in an informative session using VERT, and then again complete STAI’s state anxiety subtest. Results: Results evidence that the participants experienced statistically significant reduction in state anxiety levels after the VERT presentation. Single, employed participants who were younger than 60 years, experienced a greater reduction in state anxiety levels. However, this was not statistically significant. Conclusions: The research concluded that the VERT presentation was beneficial in reducing anxiety levels before the patients’ first radiotherapy session. Pre- and post- state anxiety indicated a significant difference. It is recommended that future research uses a larger sample, compares with more genders, other demographics, and types of cancer.